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The Magpies are set to sign a player who can succeed both going forward and defensively. In the 2014/15 season, Judge was playing a more defensive role and allowed creative players like Alex Pritchard and Andre Gray to thrive ahead of him.

Last year, in his preferred number 10 role, the Irishman was outstanding going forward and, in the absence of an in-form striker, provided the goals and the assists for the Bees until his injury hit in April.

From a Brentford perspective, this is a good deal as the likelihood is Judge would have left for nothing at the end of his contract next summer.

Director of football Rasmus Ankersen said at the fans forum in August: “We were in a position where we could have sold Alan for a lot of money this summer and now we can’t.

“We have to hope that he recovers quickly and comes back before Christmas to play for us.

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“We haven’t had contact with him about renewing his contract. We want him to focus on his recovery but soon we need to sit down with him and discuss the future. Then we will see what the options are.”

The talk about him returning before Christmas may have been genuine but what was left unsaid was so the club could cash in on Judge in January. Given the previous sentence, that was certainly the interpretation many took from that comment.

The Bees have struggled in the transfer market this summer, that much is clear. The fact they have a non contract player in Emmanuel Ledesma appearing in Championship games says as much.

What this deal will do is give Brentford some breathing room in a bid to bring players into the club as it will free up Judge's wages and bring a bit of money into the coffers that ensures they meet financial fair play. It should also be remembered that the Bees' great run of form continued in April after the injury.

There should be no malice towards Judge who has been a fine servant for the club. He, like Jake Bidwell and David Button, gave his all from the first minute to the last. Plus, for some fans, the fact he's not going to a local rival should make this move an easier pill to swallow.

Judge fully deserves his chance to test himself at one of the biggest clubs in the country. The Irishman has spoken before of his career objectives and this move will, hopefully for his sake, put him on the path to achieving them.

The Irishman only has one, or at best, two contracts left in his playing career. The chance to double his salary and become a Tyneside hero is one too good to turn down.

The only disappointment is the final memory of his time in red and white stripes was seeing him in absolute agony at Portman Road.